Infuriating
by Amarissia
Summary: After the Lt. Matheson affair, Angeal's overprotectiveness of his student leads to tension between them. And embarrassing doctors' appointments. Part of the Decorum series.


_Yes, it's time for Decorum once more! My apologies to those who were hoping for Seph/Zack right away. This one takes place shortly before those two get together, and is basically an excuse for a bit of Platonic!Zangeal fluffiness._

_Also, warning - this contains Angeal/Genesis flashbacks. Nothing much happens between them, but there is a bit, so if you don't want to read about a thirteen-year-old and a twelve-year-old doing a bit of groping, skip the italiced portions. Though if you read my stuff, you should be able to handle something like that. :)_

_I own very little of what is below. I do own Dr. Murakai, who is not be confused with Dr. Muraki, of _Yami No Matsuei_ fame. It would be interesting to pit he and Hojo against each other in a Creepy Doctor Contest, though..._

**INFURIATING**

Angeal was being irrational. He knew this, and supposed his lack of denial was something, at least. Zack, though having once admitted he was incapable of hating his mentor, was furious, and Angeal supposed he had every right to be. After all, as nervous and uncomfortable as the commander was waiting, it was Zack who was beyond that door, enduring an extremely embarrassing exam to assuage his overprotective teacher's worries. In his place, Angeal knew, he would be just as upset.

The stoic 1st Class couldn't make himself sit down in the (thankfully) empty waiting room, but with great effort he stopped pacing and leaned against one of the stark white walls, shifting uncomfortably. He had waited in infirmaries for news of wounded comrades a hundred times, and they weren't like the labs, but the sterile atmosphere and faint antiseptic smell always took him back to the painful memories of Genesis's illness and death. Genesis. Angeal pushed past the bad memory to a good one.

_The two boys could hardly contain their giggles as the fortune-teller held their palms for inspection, one in each of her bony hands. They had only been given two hours to attend the traveling carnival and no doubt Mayor Rhapsodos was looking for them to deliver a stern lecture, but that only made it all more fun. The atmosphere of the candle-lit, incense-scented tent seemed to demand solemnity, but they were only thirteen and twelve, after all, flushed and exhilarated from running._

_As the crone nodded and made "Hmm" noises, Genesis kicked Angeal's shin under the rickety, velvet-covered table, all while maintaining the perfect-polite-child posture he so often used on his parents. Angeal gave him the early version of his you'd-better-behave glare, and Genesis smiled mischievously. His eyes, which would later turn blue as an unexpected reaction to mako, were hazel, and the dim light made them glow like precious amber. Angeal felt his heartbeat speed up, and wondered why._

_"I don't often see such a perfect match," the fortune-teller murmured at last._

_"Match?" Genesis said, sitting back in surprise. "What do you mean?"_

_"Just what I said young master. Fire and earth, elements that compliment each other better than people think. True, fire consumes wood, but the wood in turn feeds the flame. And while water can only stop fire by extinguishing it, earth tames it instead, guards the fire from overwhelming itself and all else." She gave them a knowing, toothless smile. "Wait and see, boys. When the fire begins to rage, only earth may hold it."_

_Genesis and Angeal were quiet and thoughtful as they emerged from Madame Zelda's tent. The elder immediately headed down the nearest trail that led into the surrounding wood, and Angeal followed, wondering. Usually he had at least some idea what his best friend was thinking. He at least liked to think he understood Genesis better than his alternately doting and distant parents, his servants and tutors, and the townspeople who too often dismissed Genesis as a spoiled brat. He knew better, knew that the temper and occasional haughtiness concealed self-doubt and a great need to be loved. But Angeal now, strangely, found himself nervous about what Genesis might say. More disturbing than that, he caught himself looking up and down Genesis's body, and not for the first time._

_"'geal." The auburn-haired boy had stopped in a small clearing, and stood facing away with one hand on his hip._

_"Gen?"_

_"Did she mean...you and I are supposed to be more than best friends?"_

_Angeal shrugged awkwardly, though of course Genesis couldn't see. "She also told Mr. Arby last year that he was gonna fall in love. And everyone knows he hates his wife."_

_"Which is why Old Arby's been seeing Miss Rachel since then," Genesis answered in a distant voice, referring to one of his former nannies. "Didn't you know? They're crazy about each other. Father told Mother it's a wonder they haven't run off together yet."_

_"Seriously?"_

_"And if Madame Zelda was right about that..."_

_"Gen, we can't let a weird old lady's vague ramblings change our friendship. She could've meant something else."_

_"Like what, that I'm gonna accidentally set you on fire?" Genesis walked to a gnarled old apple tree, turned and leaned back against it, smiling with a controlled but obvious apprehension. "Shouldn't we find out for sure?"_

_"How?" Angeal asked, coming closer._

_"Kiss me."_

_"_What_?! Gen...I can't..."_

_"Angeal." All seriousness now, Genesis grabbed Angeal's arm and tugged him closer, till they were nearly nose to nose. "You're the one I love most. If there's more to that love than we know about yet, I want to know. C'mon. Don't make me find a better excuse than a fortune-teller's reading."_

_"Excuse?" Angeal murmured absently, staring into the autumn-colored eyes. The arm around his waist made it easy and natural to put his hands on Genesis's forearms, unconsciously stroking them up and down._

_"I want you to kiss me," Genesis said boldly, his fine-boned features going slightly pink. "I'll go mad if you don't kiss me. I don't want to ever be away from you, but if I have to go another day wondering what it would be like, Angeal, _please_..."_

_Genesis's voice was full of the same urgency that Angeal felt in his hot blood. No more pleas were necessary, now that it was certain they wanted the same thing. Angeal's hand curled around the nape of Genesis's neck and pulled him forward as he himself leaned in, and their bodies - which knew one another well from hugs and wrestling - were pressed together like a hand touching its reflection in a pond. More importantly, their lips crashed against each other, awkward as all first kisses as they brushed uncertainly._

_Genesis, though a bit older, was shorter and smaller, and his chest heaved lightly against Angeal's broader one. He opened his mouth, perhaps only to catch his breath, but the heat of it awoke something in Angeal. He put his arms around Genesis and tentatively swiped at the pouty lips with his tongue, then slowly slipped it inside to flick against Genesis's. If a young man made of sensible, solid earth could get swept up by this feeling, no surprise that Genesis, a child of fire, could catch it. He was even more eager, hugging Angeal closer and closer, tilting his head back and opening wide, kissing back with noises of need and surrender._

_His usual reserve and composure lost, Angeal gave himself over to this madness, ravaging Genesis's mouth, pushing his shirt up to finally feel how soft his friend's taut stomach was, fisting Genesis's auburn locks as his own hair was being fisted. He was nearly squashing Genesis against the rough bark of the tree, battling the tongue that danced in a frenzy with his own, groping Genesis's ass with wandering hands before realization and lack of oxygen tore him away._

_A flash of what-have-I-done went through Angeal's mind, rapidly, as he gasped and stood with limbs trembling. He was hard between his legs, and no point denying who did that to him anymore. Genesis watched him with tousled hair, wet and swollen lips parted to draw in air through a seductive smile, and an expression that didn't whisper 'Come hither' so much as shout it. Eyes bright, the elder boy crossed the short distance to Angeal, pulled him closer by the shoulders and bit lightly on his ear before panting a sultry command._

_"Do that again."_

As cherished a memory as it was, it was probably best that it be halted while Angeal was merely a bit flushed and not yet sporting a hard-on. The door opened suddenly, Zack stormed past Angeal and sat petulantly down on the end of a row of chairs, slouching down and tilting his head to hide his face. Angeal wanted to go to him, to speak softly and plead his case until his puppy forgave him, but Dr. Ogase was drawing his attention from the doorway with a professional smile.

"Everything all right?"

"Yes, Commander Hewley. Perhaps we could talk in here?"

"Of course, just a moment." Now Angeal did approach Zack, kneeling down and settling a gentle hand on the boy's shoulder. He offered a quick and silent prayer of thanks that Zack didn't shrug him off or slap him away. "Puppy, would you wait right here for me, please?"

No words, only a quick nod, and no sight of the face concealed by hanging spikes of glossy black. Angeal squeezed his shoulder, whispered "Thank you" and went into the exam room, where Dr. Ogase shut the door and turned to him with a soft laugh.

"Give the boy some time. I did my best to keep it quick and reassure him, but the examination is fairly humiliating, especially for a teenager."

"So nothing is wrong? He's all right?"

"As I suspected, Commander, Fair is perfectly fine," the physician said in a low, soothing voice. He had once worked in pediatrics, and had to fight the urge to express how like all those panicked parents the commander was behaving. "He showed no more than the usual discomfort, which itself is quite telling. And I saw no sign of physical trauma whatsoever."

"Does that really mean much? He could have been Cured or given a Potion afterward."

"Even with restorative magic, the type of damage you see in rape is slower to heal than battle injuries, particularly in the case of internal damage. Nevertheless, mastered Medical Sense materia can detect injuries that have already healed. My scan revealed nothing."

"So..." The lines creasing Angeal's forehead were clearly not going to go away until he heard what he hoped to hear, plainly.

"My professional opinion is that Fair was definitely not raped. If he's had sexual contact, it was willingly."

Angeal let out a long, relieved sigh and rubbed his eyes gently. "Thank you, Doctor."

"Within the privacy of doctor-patient confidentiality, would you mind if I asked what led you to this concern?"

"Oh...well, Zack was seeing someone older, a 1st in fact, and Zack broke up with him quite suddenly. He won't speak to me of his reasons, and I heard rumors of a distasteful bet among some of the 2nds..."

"Ah. Your thinking was that if Fair was harmed in such a way, he would be too embarrassed or upset to come forward."

Angeal laughed weakly. "I've probably made him hate me."

"I doubt that." Ogase was only a handful of years Angeal's senior, but his smile was knowing and wise. "Fair makes no secret of how much he adores you. And you surely wouldn't risk his wrath unless you were genuinely concerned. I suspect he knows you only meant well."

"I hope so." _Especially considering our next stop..._ "Thank you, Doctor."

"Happy to oblige, Commander." Ogase shook his head and began to chuckle.

"What?"

"I was about to say come back any time, but Fair told me at least a few dinners would be necessary before we do this again. Funny kid."

_Yeah. Something tells me he won't be his usual bouncy self today._

_azazazaz_

Usually when they were walking together, Zack bounced at his side and all around him, chatting endlessly and tugging Angeal's arm to make him hurry to the VR Room or gym or wherever they were going. Today's dramatic shift in behavior was so marked that SOLDIERs and executives who passed them in the corridors did double-takes. Zack was slouching so much that he looked inches shorter, his arms were crossed tensely over his chest, and his eyes didn't leave his boots. If it weren't already too late to end what Zack no doubt perceived as unnecessary torture, Angeal might have chosen to simply live with his nagging worries.

The door they were headed to was in a thankfully empty hallway, and when they reached it Angeal stopped and put his hand on the teenager's shoulder, hoping Zack would look at him. No such luck.

"Puppy, it's okay to be angry with me. I just hope you understand why I'm doing this. C'mon, this won't take long, and then I promise to leave you alone for the rest of the day."

Still no sign of Zack's face, though Angeal guessed his expression was probably as infuriated as it had been earlier. At least Zack followed him into the waiting room (albeit grudgingly) and up to the smiling secretary who looked up to greet them.

"Good afternoon, Commander Hewley!" she chirped, nervously smoothing her blond hair and giggling. "The doctor is waiting, he can go right in."

"Thank you." Slightly ruffled by Miss Deling's girlish behavior, Angeal turned away from it to face Zack. He attempted a casual, light-hearted tone. "You know, I came here a few times myself. After Genesis."

Zack shifted uncomfortably, wrapping his arms more tightly around himself. Anger and embarrassment continued to waft off of him like heat, but now a touch of guilt was there too, and Angeal mentally scolded himself for using a painful subject to try to worm his way back into Zack's good graces. All he was doing was making the boy feel bad for his perfectly reasonable resentment.

"I'll be waiting for you here, okay?"

Zack endured a brief stroke of Angeal's hand over his hair and nodded once before quietly storming through the door marked 'Itazura Murakai, Doctor of Psychiatry'. Angeal knew it was too much to hope for that Zack would emerge happy and glomp him, but he wished for it anyway.

_azazazaz_

The office Zack found himself in was eclectic, to say the least. Rather than opt for the neutral-colored, soothing decor so many professionals preferred, Dr. Murakai had chosen to fill his workspace with vibrant colors and knickknacks. Two walls were sky blue, two deep green, and the couch Zack was ushered onto was patterned with a garish swirl of colors, giving him the unpleasant image of someone puking a rainbow. The shelves and desk were distractingly full of objects, from interesting rocks to small mirrors to statuettes of unfamiliar gods.

Oddest of all was the prevalent theme of sheep. Sheep photos, sheep figurines, a sheep poster that said 'Don't Feel Baa-d', and a large stuffed sheep that perched on a chair beside a stuffed chocobo. Zack felt, absurdly, that they were watching him, but the only gaze upon him was the doctor's, as he sat behind the desk and observed with kind dark eyes. Murakai was a middle-aged man of Wutaian descent, slightly portly, wearing a white lab coat over his suit and a pair of wire-rimmed glasses.

"How are you today, Zack?" he asked warmly.

"Fine," the 2nd mumbled, slouching in his seat.

"Hmm, dear me. I think not."

"Huh?"

"Zack, this is a place of complete safety and confidentiality. If we're to make any progress, you must be completely honest with me about your feelings."

"Progress? Wait, Angeal said I only have to come this once!"

"The more open you are, the sooner I can release you," Murakai said with a smile. "Now, let's try this again. How are you today, Zack?"

"I'm...fuckin' pissed off?"

"Excellent. Why is that?"

"Because Angeal treats me like a baby. I'm eighteen, and I'm a good SOLDIER, everyone says so," Zack said, his voice growing more and more heated. "I can take care of myself, and I should be allowed to handle my own life without him butting in and freaking out just because I decided, for once, not to tell him everything!"

Zack's pale blue eyes were glowing an eerie mako green, and the resulting effect was rather like luminescent turquoise. His fists were clenched and his muscles tense, though his expression was one of frustration more than anger. The doctor scribbled on his clipboard and nodded.

"Excellent. Now, what triggered this disagreement between you and Commander Hewley?"

Zack _really_ did not want to discuss it, but if it got him out of here faster... "I broke up with my boyfriend, he took it badly, he got transferred, now Angeal's convinced that I was raped or abused by him or something."

"Ah. Were you?"

"NO! The guy turned out to be a dick and I regret sleeping with him, but he didn't force me to do anything."

"Why do you suppose Commander Hewley developed this concern?"

"'Cause he's insane and he thinks he's my mom, I don't know," Zack grumbled irritably.

Murakai took note of this slowly, to give himself time to think. He knew personally what a rational, level-headed man Angeal was, but he - like most of ShinRa - was also aware of the commander's intense protectiveness of his student, who was rumored to be quite naive. Murakai glanced up to take a good look at Zack Fair. The doctor's tastes didn't extend to men of such a young age, but he couldn't help but see what surely everyone else did - an exceptionally beautiful boy. Every feature, from the slender body to the long-lashed cerulean eyes, screamed both allure and innocence, and the kid seemed oblivious to both. Maybe Angeal wasn't crazy to be so watchful.

"Do you believe that Commander Hewley behaves this way in order to upset you?"

That seemed to push some of the hot air out of Zack. "No," he admitted. "He wouldn't do that. I know he cares about me."

Murakai pulled up something on his computer and adjusted his glasses to read it. "Your file is impressive, Zack. Commander Hewley's reports of you are extremely positive, and I see he was one of the 1sts who approved early promotion to 2nd Class for you. One of the changes that entails is that you can go on missions without your mentor, correct?"

"Yes," Zack said softly, squirming, guilt evident on his sad face.

"So he must know that you can take care of yourself. Do you think, perhaps, that he finds it difficult to expose you to danger, and that's why Angeal compensates his fears for you by overprotecting?"

Zack's chest and throat felt tight, as though something was constricting both. He took in a slow breath, squeezed his knees until his hands shook, and screwed up his eyes to stop them from watering. Zack sensed movement from Murakai's desk, and in a moment the doctor was standing before him, holding out an object in each hand. Embarrassed but caught, Zack accepted the tissue, and stared at the stuffed sheep before looking at the doctor with confusion, and a hint of wariness.

"Go on, just hold it for a bit," Murakai said kindly. "Trust me, it'll make you feel better. I'd offer the chocobo, but well, Commander Zane is fond of it, and though it's washable...ahem, well, can't really talk about other patients..."

Zack wrinkled his nose in distaste at the innocent-looking chocobo plushie, and then, because the doctor was smiling expectantly at him, gave the toy sheep an experimental squeeze. It's not like this was _so_ strange; after all, Zack still sometimes slept with his stuffed dog Wuggles. He just wasn't used to doing this around anyone but Angeal. _This is so weird_, the teenager thought, but the plushie was soft and comforting. He quickly wiped his eyes dry and held the sheep close, resting his chin on its floppy, fleecy head.

Murakai nodded with approval and returned to his seat, repressing a soft chuckle at how unwittingly adorable the boy looked. "So, this recent break-up. How do you feel about it?"

"I'm fine."

"You initiated it?"

"Yeah. It's not a big deal," Zack said, shrugging. "It's not like he was the one."

"You seem very sure of that." Murakai smiled paternally. "Maybe you've got your eye on someone else, hmm?"

"Not really," Zack mumbled, hiding the lower half of his face behind the sheep plushie.

"Hmm. I'm sorry, Zack, I didn't mean to upset you a minute ago. Are you all right?"

His cheeks threatening to turn pink, Zack hastily wadded up the damp tissue and tossed it into the nearby wastebasket. "Yeah, I'm good. I just...I guess I wasn't thinking about Angeal's feelings."

"And you feel badly about that now?"

"Well, yeah! I mean, even if he gets kind of nuts, I don't know what I'd do without Angeal. He's taught me practically everything, he puts up with me being me like no one else would, he's protected me more times than I can count. I'm lucky to have Angeal," Zack said, his voice going quiet. "Really lucky. I'm sure I annoy him more than he could ever annoy me...and for some reason, he loves me anyway."

"As you love him."

"Yeah. He's still paranoid, though."

"Only about certain things," the doctor said with a laugh. "Has anyone told you that you've been very good for Angeal?"

"Several of the 1sts, yeah. They say he's less grumpy, and he talks more now."

"I've noticed that myself. Angeal was quite closed off in his heart to most people before you, and had been so for years."

"Since Genesis died?" The look on Zack's face continued to soften. "And I've been so bratty to him...I should apologize."

"I'm sure Angeal will accept. He knows you care very much about him, right?"

"I think so." Zack absently toyed with the sheep's pink-ribbon collar. "I hope so."

"Tell me, Zack, do you often remember your dreams?"

It took the boy a moment to realize that Murakai was speaking of night-time dreams and not the kind that Angeal so often encouraged. "Uh, I guess, sometimes. Why, does that mean something?"

"Does Angeal ever show up in them?"

"Uh-huh," Zack said truthfully. His dreams tended to be combinations of the everyday and the incomprehensible, and he often saw people he knew in them.

"Can you tell me about the most recent that involved Angeal?"

Zack's face grew hot, and he flushed a little to recall the dream of three nights ago. It had been a Sephiroth-fantasy, which was not unusual. His daydreams sometimes seeped into the ones that came while he slept, whether they were mushy scenes straight out of romance novels or the more explicit kind. The last dream had been one of the latter, Sephiroth fucking him in an elevator, of all places. It had been incredible, but when Zack had realized Angeal was in the elevator with them, he'd gotten unnerved and jolted himself awake. He figured the doctor would say this represented Angeal's perceived interference in Zack's life...but Murakai would have to know both the dream and Zack's love for Sephiroth to comment, and that was _not_ going to happen.

"Er...I don't really remember...probably just boring mission stuff."

Murakai was nodding and scribbling with an amusement on his face that Zack didn't much like. Unbeknownst to the 2nd, the doctor was feeling a sort of triumph, like a detective would after cracking a case.

_By Zack's reaction, I must conclude that the dream was a sexual fantasy, probably repressed. Small wonder he doesn't want to discuss it. It must be embarrassing for him to be attracted to his teacher like that, so he rebels and tries to pull away to hide it._

"Zack, this ex-boyfriend of yours was of higher rank?"

"Yeah, a 1st," Zack answered, looking puzzled.

"So it would be fair to say that you're attracted to authority figures?"

The boy's jaw dropped. _No...how can he know about Sephiroth? I haven't told anyone...and Angeal would never..._

_Poor little lamb, he's caught_, Murakai thought sympathetically. _But it's much better for him in the long run if he faces it._

"No need to be embarrassed, my boy, it's very common, especially in military institutions. Reverse pseudo-Elektra complex - the intense attraction a young man develops toward an older man who is in a position of paternal authority to him."

"Paternal? He's not - " Zack's pale eyes lit up and bulged with disbelief. "You think I'm attracted to _Angeal_?!"

"Son, you can be honest here. And you should consider being honest with Angeal. Not only will that ease the tension between you two, but his response might be the one you hope for. Who knows, maybe he's been repressing too."

"Ugh! That's...that's...so _wrong_!" Zack dropped the stuffed sheep and clenched his fists in almost a seated version of an unarmed-battle stance. "I'm _not_, and he's definitely _not_, and why does everyone think this?!"

"Forgive me, Zack," Murakai said solemnly, bowing his head. "I merely thought it the best explanation for your and Angeal's problems."

"Problems? There aren't any problems! Angeal and I are great, as _friends_, and I'm not mad at him at all! Not even a little!"

"So..." Murakai smiled knowingly. "Does that mean you'd rather go back outside to him than stay in here?"

"Can I? Please?"

The doctor smiled again. "As far as I'm concerned, your mental state is not consistent with that of a person who has suffered a recent trauma, and that will be my report to Commander Hewley. You may go, Zack. Just one more question."

"Okay..." _Please don't guess about Sephiroth, please don't guess about Sephiroth..._

"Would you like to take the sheep with you?"

"Uh...no, thanks. I think I'm good."

"Then..." Murakai fished a small camera out of his desk drawer. "Would you mind holding it for a picture?"

"Um...okay...can I ask why?"

"I like sheep." Murakai saw the question in Zack's eyes and smiled. "Just 'like'."

_azazazaz_

_The first kiss the day of the carnival had been more than a turning point. It was a point of no return, as Angeal found out when he tried to do what he supposed was the responsible thing. His objections were reasonable, if feeble and unwilling. They _were _too young to date according to village rules, Genesis's parents _would _have a fit and separate them if they found out, a relationship _could_ wait until they moved to live in Midgar, at least, and it would only be a matter of months before they joined SOLDIER. Angeal expressed all of this in his gentlest voice, while every fiber of his being screamed in protest._

_Genesis stood opposite him beneath the secluded apple tree, saying nothing all through the nervous speech - which was not like him - showing no sign of emotion on his pretty face except the quivering of his lips. When Angeal finished speaking, there was an awkward pause, and then he moved to embrace his best friend. Quick as a cat, Genesis shoved him back, fury burning his eyes into violent swirls that mirrored the sunset._

_"Fuck you, Hewley, and fuck your honor," Genesis hissed, and raced off home before any words could reach Angeal's lips._

_The two of them spent three miserable days alone, too glum to play by themselves, too sad to answer their parents' concerned questions. Then Angeal woke in the middle of the night, suddenly, out of a lonely and dreamless sleep. His window was open, letting in the cool and the quiet sounds of the night, and someone of a slightly smaller build and height was under the blankets and snuggling against him. The younger boy turned and looked down to see an auburn-haired head, and with relief put his arms around Genesis and rubbed his back. Genesis didn't like to show his face when he was crying, so he hid it against Angeal's chest while he sniffled._

_"I can't do this," he whispered, running his long fingers through bed-mussed black hair. "I can't hate you."_

_"Gen, I love you too."_

_"You can't tell me you didn't feel it," Genesis said desperately, running his hands over Angeal's arms as though he couldn't bear to stop touching. "It's different now and you know it. This is how it's supposed to be with us."_

_"I know."_

_"Then why are you fighting this?"_

_"Aren't we too young to be feeling this? We're definitely too young to be...doing anything," Angeal answered, and Genesis was hard against his friend's leg, but it was Angeal who had slipped his hands under Genesis's night-shirt and was rubbing the soft skin of his back._

_"So we don't tell anyone. We'll be in Midgar soon, away from your mom and my parents. And Goddess, Angeal, you don't have to do anything but kiss me like you did that day. I can survive on only that, if your annoying honor won't let you go further."_

_Usually, in every way but actual age, Angeal was the elder of the two. Bigger, more responsible, a young adult in a developing twelve-year-old body. Since they were toddlers, it had always been Angeal who looked after Genesis, who understood things first, who kept them both from getting hurt during sword spars. But Genesis had looked up at last, and the certainty in his eyes made him the elder for once. He had accepted immediately the fate that Angeal had unwillingly and futilely been trying to fight._

_"Gen," he breathed out, in a sigh that was meant to be scolding but only spoke love._

_Genesis smiled, that mischievous smile that was one of Angeal's earliest memories. He put his face close to Angeal's, rubbed their noses together, and waited with his lips inches from the other boy's. Angeal had to make the choice, and he did, closing the distance between them and engaging Genesis's soft mouth in a dry, slow kiss that would have been chaste had it not lasted so long. Genesis's heat and squirming made it clear he wanted more, but for Angeal, he didn't push, merely pressed their bodies closer. They were now a tangle of growing pre-adolescent limbs, warm enough to push off the thicker blanket, and even without their tongues they were able to taste each other, Genesis's controlled fire, Angeal's reserved earth._

_"I'm staying the night," Genesis announced once they had caught their breath. "Don't worry, I'll get back before they know I'm gone."_

_Angeal knew it was no good arguing, and besides, he felt too ridiculously happy to object to anything. He hugged Genesis close (hands outside of the clothes and above the waist) and rubbed his cheek against the silky auburn hair. Genesis's arms around him were relaxed and comfortable, and he could feel the mischievous smile against his collarbone. Suddenly, he realized he wanted it to never go away._

_"We should sleep," he heard himself say. "We can't oversleep and get caught like this."_

_"Okay," Genesis said dreamily, sounding so happy that Angeal grinned. "But if we do, I'll tell everyone I seduced you. I mean, I did, right?"_

_Angeal scoffed at that, then thought of something. "We shouldn't tell Seph, at least for a while. You know how he has trouble understanding this sort of thing, and I don't want him to feel left out."_

_"Of course," Genesis said immediately. Sephiroth was, as he had said before, the one other person he loved. "Heh, we could always ask him to join in."_

_"Gen!" Aside from Angeal's sudden rush of possessiveness, Sephiroth was only a child, younger than them both._

_"I'm _kidding_, 'geal, I don't want to share you either." Genesis was falling asleep, his drowsy voice was going quieter. "I don't want anyone else, ever. Seph'll have someone of his own someday, anyway. If he can find anyone worthy of him, that is. But I do think it'll have to be more than one person. Can't waste that kind of beauty on just one."_

_"You're starting to drift, Gen," Angeal said with amusement. He kissed the smaller boy's forehead and heard a contented sigh. "Let's sleep."_

_"Okay...mmm, love you."_

_"I love you, Gen," Angeal whispered, and closed his eyes._

The sound of a door opening startled Angeal back to the present, and the sight of Zack smiling again made him heave a relieved sigh. He stood up just in time for Zack to unexpectedly hug him, more gently than his usual glomps. Surprised at the boy's quick shift in attitude, Angeal nonetheless squeezed him back, catching the sight of Miss Deling inexplicably fanning herself and ignoring it.

"I'm sorry," Zack whispered. "You're insane, but I know it's only 'cause you worry, and I don't know why you bother with me, but...I love ya, you know? I'm sorry. I still can't tell you about Matheson, I mean I'm not gonna, 'cause it's really no big deal, but it means a lot that you care so much."

"It's okay, Puppy," Angeal said softly, resting his chin on Zack's hair. "I'm sorry I put you through this. There are just things I want to keep you safe from, and perhaps I go too far at times, but I never mean to upset you. I love you too, kid."

There was a loud thumping sound as Miss Deling fell off her desk chair and struggled to get back up, but this went unnoticed, as Zack drew back to smile and Angeal playfully ruffled his spikes. Dr. Murakai was watching them from the doorway, nodding professionally and holding a stuffed sheep under one arm.

"Your student is perfectly fine, Angeal. And now I would suggest that you two spend some time together. I think you've both had a difficult day."

Angeal squeezed Zack's shoulder, thinking that was a great idea, and he had a few more hours free, fortunately. "How about Pizza Palace? My treat, for everything I've put you through today."

"Anything," Zack whispered, "as long as we can leave, before he wants to take more pictures of me with that sheep."

"Thank you very much, Doctor." Angeal put one arm around Zack and ushered him toward the door. Once they were out in the hallway, he was relieved to see his student walk with his characteristic bounce once again.

"After pizza, you totally owe me video games. I need a lot of video games to forget all the trauma from today. You remember where we left off in 'Night of the Harbingers'? We were on the third floor of that creepy mansion and your guy is, like, almost dead, but don't worry, I know a cheat code that'll double our stock of Potions. I'll save ya."

Unable to resist, Angeal affectionately tousled his apprentice's hair again. "See, you're already a hero."

Zack beamed a smile at him, the kind that made Angeal not care that people whispered he had become soft. "Well, you set a good example."

Angeal was loathe to risk this wonderful peace, but maybe it would be okay if he did it teasingly. "Now, about these pictures Dr. Murakai took..."

Zack groaned and rolled his eyes, but he did it with a smile. "Seriously, if I have a sign on my back that says 'Please rape me', you should just tell me."

"Actually, it says 'Please train me'. I should have kept that collar."

"Angeeeeeeal!"

_azazazaz_

"Well, Doctor, what do you think?"

Miss Deling had been revived with several cups of cold water, and now she faced her employer with a hopeful expression, hands clasped like a little girl. Murakai sighed, hating to disappoint her.

"I'm afraid not. I don't think so, at least. They are certainly quite loving to one another, but my best guess would be that it is indeed platonic."

Miss Deling's shoulders slumped. "I had hoped for good news to tell the Legion of Honor," she confessed, referring to Angeal's fan club, a large portion of which enthusiastically supported a romance between their idol and his adorable student.

"I'm sorry, my dear."

"That's all right, sir. At least I managed to snap a few photos of that hug."

"That should please the Legion," Murakai agreed. After a short pause, he added, "When's the next meeting, by the way?"

_And that's it for now. More Decorums as soon as I can make my lazy butt write them. Let me know what you thought! :)_


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